MFCA Class 5 All-State Third-Team

The Waynesville High School football team was represented on the Missouri Football Coaches Association's (MFCA) 2013 Class 5 All-State Team by a pair of senior linemen, it was announced on Friday.

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By Dave RobertsStaff Writer

The Daily Guide - Waynesville, MO

By Dave RobertsStaff Writer

Posted Dec. 10, 2013 at 1:37 PM

By Dave RobertsStaff Writer
Posted Dec. 10, 2013 at 1:37 PM

The Waynesville High School football team was represented on the Missouri Football Coaches Association's (MFCA) 2013 Class 5 All-State Team by a pair of senior linemen, it was announced on Friday.

Named to the MFCA Class 5 All-State Third-Team for the Waynesville Tigers were offensive lineman Jace Hale and defensive lineman Jacob Semple.

The duo helped spark a second-half surge by the Tigers, who won four of their final six games to advance to the Missouri Class 5 District 4 championship game and finish with a 5-7 overall record.

"You look at that list - from top to bottom - and Class 5 had some tremendous football players," said Waynesville head coach Rick Vernon. "So being voted to the all-state third team is quite an honor."

Hale (5-11, 265) was a three-year starter on the Tiger offensive line. This season he helped the Tigers total nearly 4,300 offensive yards.

"Each year with more experience he has gotten better and better," Vernon said of Hale. "This year he made all of our offensive line calls. A lot of our offense came right over him."

Hale figures to play football at the collegiate level, although he is still looking for the right fit.

"He's looking," Vernon said. "There are a lot of different schools interested; they really like what he does."

Semple (6-3, 275) will be competing in college - just not in football.

Last month Semple signed a letter of intent to join the Mizzou wrestling squad. He is currently the top-ranked heavyweight in Missouri high school wrestling and ranks No. 15 nationally by WrestlingUSA.com

Last season Semple finished third in the 2013 Missouri Class 4 Wrestling State Championships. He currently has a 99-19 career record for the Tigers, who rank No. 8 in the Missouri Class 4 preseason state poll.

On the football field this past fall Semple recorded 41 solo tackles and 22 assists for 63 total.

"He did a great job on the defensive line," Vernon said. "He controlled the gaps he was supposed to and forced teams to scheme around him.

"He pretty well stayed in his position and with his quickness and strength very few people tried to run at him."

Page 2 of 3 - Missouri Class 5 state champion Lee's Summit West swept the offensive player, defensive player and coach of the year awards.

Lee's Summit West's senior receiver Monte Harrison was voted Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year while senior defensive back Logan Cheadle was named Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Royce Boehm Coach of the Year.